Bug-Garnished Cocktails and Other Edible Insects

Do you like your martinis shaken or stirred? Vodka or gin? Garnished with an olive or an insect? On the tail of Missouri's recently banned ice cream blended with chocolate-covered cicadas (which reportedly taste just like peanuts) comes New York City's newest cocktail trend: insect cocktails.

Bugs have become quite the epicurean trend over the past few years, although they are usually found fried or dipped in chocolate at county fairs, where extreme eating is de rigueur. According to The New York Post, White & Church has taken the trend to the next level. They're making entomophagy (insect eating) high class. New Yorkers can now catch a buzz off $14 insect- and arachnid-garnished concoctions such as the "Blue Velvet," a tobacco-infused brandy topped with scorpions, or the Mexican worm-based "Why Not," a tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and avocado cocktail, which is quite a hit. "I got the idea when I was working in a bar in Florence and they had lobsters in a tank," the owner's wife and mixologist, Cristina Bini, told The Post. "I thought, insects, same thing. People eat escargot, which are snails. What's the difference?"

Although her logic may seem preposterous to many Americans, it may not be long before we are choosing our grasshoppers like we do our lobsters. Many believe that entomophagy could be in America's future. A recent Smithsonian post elaborated on the many benefits of using bugs as a food source. The post cites bugs' high protein content, the energy saving benefits of raising and processing bugs versus traditional livestock, and the lower risk of disease associated with edible bugs.

Of course, we wouldn't be the first to make bugs part of a balanced meal. Insects and arachnids of all shapes, sizes, and species are consumed all over the world on a daily basis. According to The Guardian, 1,400 species of insects are eaten in around 90 countries. Here are some examples from a report by the Department of Entomology at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, which could prove to be inspirational to the home cook in the future:

Australia - Not only do the good folks down under munch on lobster-esque sea creatures known as Moreton Bay Bugs, but some indigenous Aborigine groups also harvest land-based bugs. Bogong moths are cooked in hot ashes and snacked on whole; they are also ground into a paste and used to make cakes. Honeypot ants are also popular morsels. True to their name, honeypot ants taste sweet thanks to their their daily diet of honeydew.

Bali - Pond-skimming dragonflies are a grilling must in Bali. Placed directly on the grate of a charcoal grill, these long, thin treats come out smoky and crispy. They can also be boiled with ginger, garlic, shallots, chili pepper, and coconut milk for a heartier meal.

How would you feel about picking up some filleted cockroach for dinner? Have you ever eaten a bug? We mean, of course, besides the ants we all tasted as children. Unless you never tried an ant as a child, in which case neither did we.